Script To Screen: “Excalibur”

A key early scene in the 1981 movie Excalibur, screenplay by Rospo Pallenberg and John Boorman, book by Thomas Malory.

IMDb plot summary: Merlin the magician helps Arthur Pendragon unite the Britons around the round table of Camelot even as forces conspire to tear it apart.

In this scene, Arthur, who has previously managed to pull the sword Excalibur from the magic stone, but is as yet only a squire, finds himself in the midst of a battle.

EXT. OUTSIDE THE CASTLE - NIGHT Arthur fights like a wounded lion at the center of
the savage melee of sword and shield, and once again
the two sides fall apart. Uryens and Lot are standing in the moat among the
bodies of their men, are reduced to eleven knights,
all wounded. Arthur is flanked by twenty men at arms, most of them
wounded, and trembling now beyond exhaustion with
blood lust. Arthur steps forward alone, and addresses
his opponents. ARTHUR
You are in my hands, to slay or spare.
I need battle lords such as you.
Swear faith to me and you shall have
mercy. URYENS
Noble knights swear faith to a mere
squire? Arthur turns, searching for Merlin. He spots him
watching from a distance. They stare at each other,
Merlin implacable, Arthur's eyes pleading. It's
obvious that Merlin isn't going to help. ARTHUR
You are right. I'm not yet a knight.
(gaining strength)
You, Uryens, will knight me. He unsheathes Excalibur and goes forward, kneeling
before Uryens and offering him the sword. ARTHUR
Then as knight to knight I can offer
you mercy. MERLIN
(to himself)
What's this, what's this?! Arthur, kneeling, bows his head and Uryens steps up
to him, his features set. He accepts the sword. Lot
watches, a mad hope dancing in his eyes. EXT. BATTLEMENTS, CAMELYARDE CASTLE - NIGHT Guenevere watches, frightened for Arthur, not daring
to breathe. EXT. OUTSIDE THE CASTLE - NIGHT Uryens stands towering above the boy. He smiles
enigmatically. He lifts Excalibur. Merlin is attempting to push through the crowded
ranks to get to Arthur. He's frantic and worried for once. MERLIN
I never saw this... Uryens swiftly lowers the sword on Arthur's neck;
with the flat of the blade he gives Arthur the three
strokes. URYENS
In the name of God, of Saint Michael
and Saint George, I give you the
right to bear arms, the power to
mete justice. Arthur looks up. ARTHUR
That duty I will solemnly obey as
knight and King. Uryens is deeply moved. URYENS
Rise, my King. I am your humble
knight, and I swear allegiance to
the courage in your veins, for so
strong it is, it's source must be
Uther. I doubt you no more. Arthur rises and Uryens kneels and kisses his hands.
Sir Ector turns away to hide brimming tears. Merlin
pushes through finally, out of breath. Uryens
embraces Leondegrance while Lot and the other enemy
knights kneel in turn and kiss Arthur's hands.

Here is the scene from the movie:

This one is almost word for word the same — script to screen. Note how many of the camera shots are indicated in scene description by shifting slug lines and use of paragraphs to suggest points of focus.

One of the single best things you can do to learn the craft of screenwriting is to read the script while watching the movie. After all a screenplay is a blueprint to make a movie and it’s that magic of what happens between printed page and final print that can inform how you approach writing scenes. That is the purpose of Script to Screen, a weekly series on GITS where we analyze a memorable movie scene and the script pages that inspired it.

For more articles in the Script To Screen series, go here.